3 Important Tips to Increase Your Chances of Getting Published

If you’ve been sending out your manuscript for months or even years, you may feel like you’re beating your head against a wall. And it may comfort you to know that you’re not alone. It’s no easy feat to get published these days, but rest assured that hard work does pay off.

You can also use these top three tips to increase your odds of getting published:

1. Spend the majority of your time reading and writing. As a rule of thumb, make it a priority to read more often than you write. How can you expect to become an expert author in your genre if you haven’t read hundreds and thousands of related books? The more that you read and absorb, the better that your manuscript will be. It’s also important to stay informed in your industry so that your work remains relevant and fresh.
2. Write what you know. This may seem like a complete no-brainer, but your work will not be authentic and relatable if you are not writing about what you know. Even though you do need to stay aware of trends in your industry, you can’t follow trends exclusively; a trend will probably be over by the time that you complete your manuscript. If you write what you know and stay true to yourself, you can be a trend starter inside of a trend follower.
3. Submit your manuscript strategically. If you want to see your manuscript in print, be smart about who you submit to. You will probably find that some publishing companies and agents will be interested right off the bat, with strings attached… Don’t waste your time submitted to companies that want to sell you a publishing package or push you into self-publishing if that is not what you are interested in. A good agent or publishing company will be selective and may take time to get back to you. Make sure that you research a publishing company or agent before submitting to ensure that they represent your genre. There is no bigger waste of time than submitting your romance novel to an exclusive publisher of children’s books. All you have to do is do your homework beforehand and submit to agents and publishers that will be legitimately interested in your work. Problem solved!

Bethany Ramos is an author and full-time freelance writer with experience in Internet marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. She is passionate about writing captivating children's books and witty chick lit. For more information, you can visit her blog at chicklit-books.com.